10th Cavalry on Main Street

The 10th Cavalry was one of the U.S. Army’s segregated Black regiments known as “Buffalo Soldiers.” They were stationed at Fort Ethan Allen in Colchester from 1909 to 1913. The arrival of 850 Black soldiers and their camp followers led to fear of public disorder on the part of some residents, despite Vermont’s reputation for racial tolerance, but the troops were soon embraced by their hosts. The regiment passed through Bennington in 1912, on their way back from maneuvers in Connecticut. Teddy Roosevelt was also in town on that day, campaigning for president on the Bull Moose ticket. The 10th Cavalry had served with Roosevelt at the famous Battle of San Juan Hill in 1898.

The troops set up camp overnight in the “Morgan lot” north of the trolley trestle over Benton’s Pond, what is today the Bennington Recreation Center and Memorial Park. E.T. Griswold advertised postcards of them parading up Main Street the following day.